RELATIVE EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT WEED CONTROL METHODS IN ONION (Allium cepa L.) CROP

Relative efficacy of different weed control methods i.e (1) weedy check (control), (2) Buctril super (Bromoxinil + MCPA) @ 1.25 L ha-1 , (3) manual weeding (30 and 60 days after transplanting), (4) Dual gold (s-metolachlor) @ 2.5 L ha-1, (5) Pendimethaline 33% @ 2.5 L ha-1, and (6) hand weeding was studied in onion local cv. “Shah Alam” at Agriculture Research Institute, Ratta Kulachi, D.I. Khan during winter 2006-07 and repeated at Government Seed Farm, Ratta Kulachi, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan during winter 2007-08. The study was laid out in randomized complete block design, replicated three times. The major weeds infesting the experimental field were Anagallis arvensis L., Chenopodium album L., Rumex dentatus L., Euphorbia 1helioscopia L., Convolvulus arvensis L., Lathyrus odoratus L., Medicago denticulata Willd, and Melilotus indica L. Analysis of the data showed that various weed management techniques significantly affected weeds related parameters in onion as compared to weedy check. Bulb yield and yield components of onion in all weed management treatments were significantly increased. For controlling weeds, Pendimethalin 33% was found to be the best for controlling weeds. Maximum bulb yield was found in manual weeding treatments, followed by Pendimethalin, whereas, minimum bulb yield was recorded in weedy check plots. Therefore, hand weeding through out season or the use of Pendimethalin @ 2.5 L ha-1 is recommended for getting higher onion yield.